Mike Strydom was named the Women's Tennis head coach on May 23, 2020 and has since reestablished Coe a powerhouse in the conference, culminating in the program's first conference tournament title since 2018. The Kohawks have picked up 18 all-conference selections, four conference MVP honors and one Rookie of the Year honor since Strydom has taken over.
In his first season with the Kohawks, Strydom helped coach three all-conference performers as Emma Lassen, Janie Lapray and Eliza Sundermann earned the honors. Coach Strydom's Kohawks continued to succeed in 2021-22 with four more players earning all-conference honors. Freshman Madison Schultz was named the American Rivers Conference MVP after a dominant 6-0 season in league singles play. Emma Lassen, Eliza Sundermann and Isabella Hoppenjans also earned recognition from the league as the Kohawks fell to Luther in the league's AQ Tournament. Schultz repeated as the A-R-C MVP in 2022-23 earning her second straight honor. Emma Lassen and Jania Carter-Johnson joined Schultz as all-conference performers. 2023-24 was another strong season for Strydom's team, winning 12 matches overall while Schultz claimed her third A-R-C MVP honor. Additionally, the junior won the A-R-C Individual Singles Championship, defeating her teammate Alliandra Hagness in the title match. Following Coe's season, four Kohawks were named all-conference including freshmen Sophia Fain and Hagness.
2024-25 was the most successful year since 2018 for the Kohawks, going 18-8 in dual matches and 7-1 in the conference season. Coe avenged its regular-season loss to Luther in the conference tournament, defeating Luther 4-1 in the title match. The Kohawks dropped their opening match at the NCAA tournament to North Central falling 4-2 in a tightly contested battle.
Strydom's career began in 1998 at the Umtentweni Tennis Club in Umtentweni, South Africa where he served as the club's teaching professional and director of tennis. The following year, Mike moved to Hancock, New York where he served as the director of tennis at the Frenchwood Festivals of Art in 1999. In 2000, Strydom returned to South Africa, serving as the head boys and girls tennis coach at Port Shepstone High School where he helped set a new school record with 15 wins in a season.
Strydom came to Iowa in 2007 to serve as an assistant tennis coach, and later head coach, at Wartburg College. Following his time in Waverly, Strydom started a position as the director of boarding at the Saddlebrook Prep School and Tennis/Golf academies in Florida. Most recently, Mike served as a teaching professional at the Blackhawk Tennis Club in Waterloo, Iowa.
Mike Strydom's Year-by-Year
|
Overall |
|
|
Conference |
|
|
|
|
| Year |
Won |
Loss |
Pct. |
Won |
Loss |
Pct. |
Place |
Postseason |
| 2020-21 |
9 |
10 |
.474 |
3 |
5 |
.375 |
6th |
|
| 2021-22 |
13 |
9 |
.591 |
6 |
2 |
.750 |
2nd |
|
| 2022-23 |
13 |
8 |
.619 |
7 |
1 |
.875 |
2nd |
|
| 2023-24 |
12 |
10 |
.545 |
7 |
1 |
.875 |
2nd |
|
| 2024-25 |
18 |
8 |
.692 |
7 |
1 |
.875 |
2nd |
A-R-C Tournament Champions
NCAA Tournament First Round |
| Career |
65 |
45 |
.590 |
30 |
10 |
.743 |
|
One A-R-C Tournament Title
One NCAA Tournament Appearance |
